Autism Rates in Children May Be Higher Than Previously Believed, New CDC Study Finds

Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is an umbrella term for a range of neurological conditions, each with its own distinct set of signs and behaviors. In recent years, ASD has been more readily recognized and diagnosed than it was in the past. That may be why a new report from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) found a higher prevalence of autism in kids than previous research has.

What the Study Looked At

The CDC’s report utilized data gathered by the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, a tracking system that provides estimates of the prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder among more than 300,000 8-year-old children. (ADDM is the largest population-based program to monitor autism and the only autism tracking system that examines health and education records.)

The estimates were combined from 11 communities within Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

What the Study Found

Specifically, about one in 59 eight-year-olds — or 1.7 percent — across the 11 communities across the U.S. were identified as having autism in 2014.

In a press release, the CDC notes that this new estimate is higher than the previous ADDM estimate released two years ago, which found a prevalence of 1.5 percent or 1 in 68 children. They explain that the uptick may be attributed to the fact that we now have improved identification of autism in minority populations. As it has been for years, autism is more likely to be identified in white children versus black or Hispanic children.

But “prevalence among black and Hispanic children is approaching that of white children,” thanks to “more effective outreach in minority communities and increased efforts to have all children screened for autism so they can get the services they need,” Stuart Shapira, M.D., Ph.D., associate director for science at CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, said in the release.

There was also a notable difference in prevalence identified across the 11 communities. Five reported similar estimates of 1.3 to 1.4 percent, but a community in New Jersey stood out as the highest at 2.9 percent. The CDC notes that the difference may again be attributed to how autism is being diagnosed and documented.

Other key findings:

Fewer than half of the children identified in the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network received their first autism diagnosis by the time they were 4 years old.

Although 85 percent of children with autism had concerns about their development noted in their health records by the time they were 3 years old, only 42 percent received a developmental evaluation by that age.

What the Study Means for Parents

Although it’s heartening to see that autism is seemingly being identified more frequently in various communities, the findings only serve to reiterate the importance of identifying children with autism at a young age and referring them to early intervention. The sooner they’re diagnosed, the better, as they can begin working with skilled therapists to make sure they’re getting the care they need.

“Parents can track their child’s development and act early if there is a concern. Health care providers can acknowledge and help parents act on those concerns. And those who work with or on behalf of children can join forces to ensure that all children with autism get identified and connected to the services they need as early as possible,” said Dr. Shapira in the CDC release. “Together we can improve a child’s future.”

Check out CDC’s Learn the Signs Act Early Program which offers parents, as well as child care professionals and health care providers, free resources in English and Spanish for monitoring children’s development, starting as young as 2 months old.

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Maressa Brown is an editor and writer with more than a decade of experience covering lifestyle, pop culture, and parenting. Her work has appeared in/on a variety of publications including Cosmopolitan.com, Parents.com, Romper, Redbookmag.com, ELLE.com, GoodHousekeeping.com, Bustle, Variety, Women's Health, and Better Homes & Gardens. She loves researching and covering women’s health, beauty/style, relationships, pop culture, and astrology. Follow her on Twitter @MaressaSylvie.